2014 Internet Security Threat Report, Volume 19

The Internet Security Threat Report provides an overview and analysis of the year in global threat activity. The report is based on data from the Symantec Global Intelligence Network, which Symantec's analysts use to identify, analyze, and provide commentary on emerging trends in the dynamic threat landscape.

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Threat Spotlight: Trojan.Cryptowall

Trojan.Cryptowall is a Trojan horse that encrypts files on the compromised computer. It then asks the user to pay to have the files decrypted.

The threat typically arrives on the affected computer through spam emails, exploit kits hosted through malicious ads or compromised sites, or other malware.

Once the Trojan is executed on the compromised computer, it creates a number of registry entries to store the path of the encrypted files and run every time the computer restarts. It encrypts files with particular extensions on the computer and creates additional files with instructions on how to obtain the decryption key.

This threat family attempts to convince the user to pay money in order to get the key to unlock their files. It uses a variety of different techniques in order to encourage the user to pay the ransom.

Best Practices

With the rapid rise in the number of malware attacks it’s harder than ever to prevent machines from getting infected. But have you done everything you can do? Have you done the things you must do to stay protected? Following some simple best practices can make a tremendous difference in improving your protection. Symantec has assembled a set of best practices for today’s threat landscape.

Use these recommendations to know what you must, should and can do to protect your endpoints from malware.

Want to go further and really beef up protection on your endpoint machines? Symantec Endpoint Protection has a feature called Application and Device Control that gives you additional tools to protect your endpoints. Find out about Application and Device Control and download rulesets especially created by Symantec to increase your protection. Information available here.

White Paper Spotlight: Regin: A top-tier espionage tool

An advanced piece of malware, known as Regin, has been used in systematic spying campaigns against a range of international targets since at least 2008. A back door-type Trojan, Regin is a complex piece of malware whose structure displays a degree of technical competence rarely seen. Customizable with an extensive range of capabilities depending on the target, it provides its controllers with a powerful framework for mass surveillance and has been used in spying operations against government organizations, infrastructure operators, businesses, researchers, and private individuals.